From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
As part of activities to commemorate the Global Money Week 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Thursday, took its financial literacy campaign to secondary schools across the nation.
The campaign, with the theme “Protect your money, Secure your future” was organised by the apex bank in various schools in the six geo-political zones of the country.
Speaking at the Government Secondary School, Gwagwa in Abuja, Othniel Nuhu, the CBN acting director of the Consumer Protection Department, explained that the awareness was necessary to instill in the students the right attitude towards money, including earning, saving and investing early.
Addressing the students, Nuhu said: “We at CBN are interested in educating you about money even though we know that you are not working yet, because we want to catch you young.
“What we are doing here has to do with financial literacy. It is different from the education you are getting here because you can be a professor and not know how to manage your money. We want to inculcate in you, the culture of saving. You can save from the gifts and allowances you receive from your parents and other relatives.”
“We want you to begin to learn the culture of saving for the future. Your parents can open bank accounts on your behalf until you turn 18. So that by the time you become adults and start working, you will have mastered the art of saving.”
The apex bank at its 12th edition of Literacy Fair on Tuesday, emphasized the need to increase financial literacy, saying that it was key to creating wealth, improving income and enhancing living conditions of Nigerians.
Gbadamosi Lanre, the Head of Consumer Education and Evaluation Division in the Consumer Protection Department of the CBN, had expressed concern about the poor level of financial literacy in the nation, which he said only increased from 13 percent to roughly 33 percent over time.
Lanre attributed the low rate of financial literacy to inadequate awareness, poor income rates and escalating poverty levels in the country.
He however, noted that the central bank was creating a monitoring and evaluation framework for financial literacy to offer an impartial evaluation of the CBN’s financial literacy efforts.
The principal of GSS Gwagwa, Mr. Abdullahi Musa Zakari, applauded the CBN for choosing the school to conduct its awareness campaign
Zakari advised the students to treat the instruction seriously and make the most of the financial literacy programme.
“I believe we must count ourselves lucky for being picked out of so many schools in Abuja to hold this awareness campaign. The CBN has come here to educate you on financial literacy that will help you later in life. I hope you will give them your rapt attention so that you can fully derive the benefit in it.
“I want you to take this training seriously because everything is centered around you,” he stated.